New Study shows high maternal affection = better mental health as adults

Katherine - posted on 07/29/2010

Good article, thanks for sharing!
Funny how they come up with proof of something that seems so OBVIOUS.

Brenda - posted on 07/29/2010

Andrea, I can agree with you 100 percent. I've dealt with self esteem issues and depression my whole life.

The study gains validity from the high number of individuals. The higher the number, the higher the validity in a study like this. No study is without flaws, as a counselor I can tell you that for certain. There are different types of statistics they run on these studies to find out how valid they are. This doesn't detail if they ran t scores, correlations (and if so what the cooralational ratio was), z scores, and it doesn't tell you what the standard deviations are. If I could see the actual study, I could infer more from it, but without the real study this doesn't tell me what I need to know to really see what kind of validity they used to support their theories. Assuming that this study is published in a peer reviewed journal, (I think it was but can't remember) it has stood up to enough scruitiny to allow for a valid result. I could always look it up in my school's directory, but if it isn't available as html or pdf I have to go through rigamorole to get my hands on it.

Andrea - posted on 07/28/2010

I have not read it but every one who have gone through psychotherapy and their mother's coldness and lack of affection was one of the main issues, know this is true without a study.
It still makes my body react with physical signs when I see or hear the words "maternal affection" and wonder what that must feel like. Isn't that sad? So I don't think about that, just try to feel it when I give it to my children. I had them to love them and I will hug them and carry them as long as I can manage and they need it. I equate CIO and refusing to respond to distress so as not to spoil the child, with lack of affection and this is a NO NO in my house.
I will of course read it later. I am curious how to study was conducted but I didn't think one needed a study to prove this.

Ally - posted on 07/28/2010

The only thing that raised a question for me about the validity of the study was the fact that they observed the babies for one day at just 8 months old. Yes, a lot of babies, but still, one day? What if the mothers who rated highly for affection had babies with sweet temperaments, who were less likely to be stressed or anxious?

I'm not saying there's nothing to this, but the study seems suspect in some regards... I'd even find it easier to buy into if they checked back on the relationship at least once or twice in following years. How about how they were doing as 3 year olds, for instance?

Brenda - posted on 07/28/2010

I think the results were unexpected, when they started the study I doubt they were looking for this result. The way it is worded they were probably expecting to show that overindulgence made kids less likely to to be mentally healthy.

Geralyn - posted on 07/28/2010

I wonder why the researchers didn't follow the children more closely than spending a day with them at 8 months? That would have been helpful. The nuturing is so critical, and its true that some infants and children are not nutured. Very sad....

Diana - posted on 07/28/2010

I saw this yesterday on CNN and shared it with my friends. I actually have a friend who refused to rock her baby because he wouldn't know how to "fall asleep on his own". How sad that some Mothers have gotten caught up in the theory of making a child independant or that they are manipulative.
I believe you can never give a child too many kisses, hugs, rockings, cuddlings or I love yous! I pick him up when he asks because I love him and he won't be asking forever (and he's soon back down). I always wonder, why bring a child in this world if your not willing to nuture.

Geralyn - posted on 07/27/2010

I believe it.... I'll have to read it. Yes, an awesome find - thanks for sharing!